Hubbardston drowning victim remembered as joyful little girl

HUBBARDSTON — Little blond Sidney J. Allen was a toddler with a huge smile that would light up a room, but for a small girl, she was a big part of her large, close-knit family.

The 3-year-old, who loved dancing, animals and the outdoors, drowned at a pond in Sunapee, N.H., Sunday.

Around noon, Sunapee Fire and Rescue and Sunapee police responded to a 911 call of a possible drowning at 58 Mary's Road, according to a press release.

When they arrived, they found her father, Brian Allen, giving her CPR, the release said.

The family was on vacation and had been outside together near the shoreline of Perkins Pond, when Sidney wandered off from the rest of the family for a brief time, police said.

Her father found her unresponsive in the water 10 to 15 feet from shore, police said.

Marine Patrol officers also tried to resuscitate her.

She was taken to New London Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The Sunapee Police Department and New Hampshire Medical Examiner's Office said the death was accidental.

Tuesday, her family — including her six siblings — and family friends gathered to support each other at their Nestlewood Lane home, located at the end of a cul-de-sac.

At the end of the driveway, a sign warns to drivers to go slowly because of children in the neighborhood.

"She lived up to her middle name — Joy," said Sidney's 27-year-old brother, Benjamin M. Allen of Paxton. "She always had a smile on her face and made other people smile. It didn't matter who you were. You always had a smile when Sidney was around."

"She was just a bundle of joy," her father said, eyes red-rimmed from crying. "I have seven children and every one of them has a specific characteristic. Sidney was our class clown. She would dance when nobody else would dance and make everybody laugh."

Her eldest brother, Chad E. Allen, 28, lives in a built-in apartment at his parents' house with his 3-year-old son, Nathaniel K. Allen.

Nate and Sidney were inseparable, Chad Allen said, and were great at finding mischief together.

"Sidney and Nate were good buddies," Chad said of the pair who liked to play in the dirt, ride bikes, play on the swing set and catch bugs.

"You couldn't keep her and Nate from going outside. They were best friends and hell-raisers."

"If they could get into, they got into it," Benjamin added. "She could be a tomboy one second and a girly-girl the next."

She also had two older siblings, both under age 7. She was the baby of the family.

Sidney also loved the family's golden Labradoodle, Haley, but most of all, she loved to dance, the men said.

"It didn't matter what kind of music was on, she just started dancing and didn't care who was around," Benjamin said.

"If it had a beat to it, she would dance — even to songs during the movie credits. For a small kid, she was a big part of the family."

"She'll be greatly missed," Chad added.

The family said they wanted to thank everyone who worked to help Sidney, including the Sunapee police, the Marine Patrol, ambulance and fire personnel, and all the staff at New London Hospital.

Calling hours are scheduled for Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. at Heritage Bible Chapel, 182 Brooks Station Road, Princeton.

Contact Paula Owen at powen@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @PaulaOwenTG.